Former US ambassador accuses Biden of ‘malpractice,’ slamming president for ‘ice cream shop’ prediction on hostage deal with Hamas.
By World Israel News Staff
Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman blasted President Joe Biden Thursday, accusing the president of “negotiating malpractice” for his comments on a possible hostage deal with Hamas earlier this week.
Speaking with NBC‘s Seth Meyers in an interview recorded on Monday, Biden claimed that Israel and Hamas were “close” to reaching an agreement for the freeing of Israeli hostages in exchange for a ceasefire during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and the early release of jailed Arab terrorists.
“Well I hope by the beginning of the weekend. The end of the weekend. My national security adviser tells me that we’re close. We’re close. We’re not done yet. My hope is by next Monday we’ll have a ceasefire.”
Making his prediction in an ice cream shop, Biden claimed Israel had already agreed to refrain from military operations during Ramadan.
“Ramadan’s coming up, and there has been an agreement by the Israelis that they would not engage in activities during Ramadan as well, in order to give us time to get all the hostages out.”
Ambassador Friedman blasted Biden’s comments Thursday, tweeting that the president’s claims that Israel has agreed to halt its military operations and that a deal was “close” empowered Hamas in the ongoing talks.
“I pray that the Israeli hostages come home now. And I am not in the room and can’t comment on the specifics of the negotiations.”
“But as someone who has negotiated a thing or two on the global stage, I can say unequivocally that Joe Biden committed negotiating malpractice when he publicly predicted (in an ice cream shop) that there would be a hostage deal by the ‘end of the weekend.'”
“I hope his prediction comes true but for the leader of the free world to make such a prediction, he ups the bargaining position of Hamas which now sees itself in a position to determine whether the president comes across as a hero or a liar. Hamas should never hold that card — it will play it for all it can.”